Keen on Corfu?
Posted by Shelley Emling in Eye Candy

Stunning
Atop a cliff on the sea in an area of Corfu called St. Spiridon, almost at the northernmost tip of the Greek island, there’s a gorgeous beach house for sale that offers complete privacy. Situated on its own peninsula with 150 meters of sea frontage, there’s a pathway that winds its way down through an olive grove onto a virtually secluded beach. The property was completed last year and includes five bedrooms and a large living room with a fireplace and access to various terraces and a pool area.

The property is priced at between 2.5 million euros and 3 million euros — all contents included. Potential buyers should contact Alison Macpherson at Alison-macpherson@aylesford.com.

After seeing this property, I decided to ask Andrew Langton, the managing director of Aylesford, the international property consultants, who also owns a house on Corfu, about the property market on the island.

Q) Why do people buy properties on Corfu?
A) It’s a particularly beautiful island with high rainfall and lots of vegetation. It hasn’t been ruined by overbuilding. And it still has a donkey community. People still farm the land.

Q) Is Corfu becoming increasingly popular?
A) There’s a queue of people wanting to buy on Corfu, predominantly British. Generally they want to buy in the northeastern part of the island. Now there is very little to buy. As a result there’s overspill and people are going to Paxos and other islands. People come to Corfu to retire or to buy a second home.

Q) How are the property prices?
A) You’d find them cheaper than in places like Italy, France and Spain – and Corfu is a lot more beautiful. I’d say properties are 25 percent to 30 percent cheaper than comparable properties in those other countries.

Q) What do you love about going there?
A) There are extraordinary views of Albania. The water is wonderful. If you are a boater you can go to half a dozen islands, which you can’t do in the south of France or Spain. In those places you just have to get in your boat and ride around.

Q) What’s the weather like?
A) You have a brutal winter not dissimilar to Scotland’s with very high rainfall so it’s wonderfully green and fertile. And the summers are as nice as you’ll find anywhere in the Mediterranean.

Q) Do people rent out their second-home properties?
A) Yes, and there is a company called Corfu Villas that can help with this.
1 Comment
It’s an ideal location for a retirement or second home I must say, as it ticks all the right boxes for me - lovely unspoilt island, substantially cheaper than cramped up Spain & France, excellent tropical climate and good planning to avoid overcrowding. Hope it stays this way!